TOM'S GRAND SLAM INTERLEAGUE GAME OF THE WEEK
- Handicapper
- Tom Stryker
- League
- MLB
- Competition
- Chicago Cubs vs Kansas City Royals
- Release Date
- 08/09/2026 07:55 AM
- Event Date
- 08/09/2026 02:10 PM
- Bet Type
- Moneyline
- Pick
-
Chicago Cubs -152
(DraftKings)
- Outcome
- Win
- Analysis
- Off Saturday's 6-3 road loss to the Royals, look for the Cubs to respond in a big way with the series victory on the line. Chicago rests 5.5-games back in its hunt for the NL Central lead and manager Craig Counsell and his troops need this win in order to keep pace in the division.
Sizzling southpaw Matthew Boyd will take the mound for the visitors. Dating back to July 7th, No. 16 has made six starts against the Dodgers, Cardinals, Pirates, Twins, Reds, and Orioles, and was nicked for only 10 earned runs and 32 hits in 39.0 innings of work. Matthew struck out 26 and walked 10 on his way to a 4-0 record with an elite 2.31 ERA. Overall, with two seasons in the books for the Cubs, Boyd has surrendered only 93 earned runs and 223 hits in 252.1 frames. That's good enough for a 21-9 mark with a sensational 3.32 ERA.
Right-hander Randy Dobnak will pick up the pearl for the home team. In his last three starts versus the Twins (twice) and Tigers, No. 62 was in a zone allowing only one earned run and 11 hits in 17.0 innings. Randy whiffed eight and walked five on his way to a 2-0 record with a stunning 0.53 ERA. However, in his six-year career, Dobnak has appeared in 45 games (25 as a starter) and been clipped for 80 earned runs and 180 hits in 171.2 frames. That shakes down to an 11-12 mark with a 4.19 ERA.
Several profitable team trends support this diamond investment. Chicago has scooped up wins in 247 of its last 450 games overall, 120 of its last 200 when coming off a loss, 167 of its last 286 when priced as a favorite, and 74 of its last 138 when facing an American League foe. On the other side of the stadium, Kansas City has fallen in 144 of its last 258 when priced as an underdog.
The Cubs have grabbed series wins in seven straight on the road and they have tasted victory in seven of their last eight with Boyd on the bump since his return from the disabled list. The cream of the crop rises to the top here. Take Chicago with Boyd. Thanks, and best of luck, Tom.
